DOCUMENTS

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November 19, 2012

Taking The GOP Down The Garden Path

Jill King

Red Maryland's Mark Newgent, on WBAL with Doug Gill, called for the heads of the political regime known as the Maryland Republican Party. Rush Limbaugh and other talk radio hosts call the Republican platform challenged.

How can the Republican Party take credit for 30 governorships and lose a presidential election?

Sun Tzu once said: "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.”

So, are we challenged, or did we even show up here in Maryland?

Many tacticians conclude the latter after the dust settled and the high tides of Hurricane Sandy gently crept back.

History has shown several transitions in parties; the Tories/Loyalists and the Whigs/Patriots lost to the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists, then the coming of the Republican and Democratic parties.

The largest growing group currently, even in Maryland, is the “unaffiliated,” those distrustful of political regimes. As of the close of registration in October, there were 614,887 in this growing sub-group. Registered Republicans in Maryland number only 959,858.

Maybe the transition is necessary again unless Republicans would like to throw in their towel to the extremists, or moderates, or even on hard fought social issues, with no one hurt but themselves.

Should the government even be in the marriage business, or using a person's property to enable another's comfort? Why are we bringing religion into the argument or even education, when education is a matter for the states?

The ‘elephant in the room’ has been the national government creating battles that should have never existed. Should Republicans go on with the message of anti-abortionists, with a public debt of over $16 trillion and moving up? Unemployment is on the rise and at the mercy of both parties.

Taking a stance on social issues and creating little argument on fiscal matters was lost in the message.

Previously seated Republicans crossed party lines, listening to their fresh-out-of-school, cream-of-the-crop advisors who just started learning how to use a razor. The national government has risen to a level not even the party can claim controls over. Once they hit the floor, votes are dependent on money and interests, not the people they represent.

Is the Republican platform that of a conservative?

Initiatives, and the future of the party decided by insiders, create more dissatisfaction and infighting; fundraising, registering voters and educational issues were dropped for personal evangelism.

Commotion has been brewing in the Republican Party. Grass roots organizers and volunteers have come up for air. Peering through the sordid aftermath, there were some successes, those which can be accredited to people and local groups, not the state party.

Efforts in the primary fizzled with barely a stance on the ballot initiatives, or that of the fight on the newly gerrymandered districts. There is no doubt the Maryland Republican Party dropped the ball on those struggling with grass root efforts.

The tempers flare still on the decisions at the National Republican Convention; at least two have their names on the chopping block for the upcoming November 30 state convention: Louis Pope for his involvement in the national vote, and Alex Mooney for neglecting to the party.

Maryland is winnable, but only if those insiders start listening to the people, drop their self promotion, and work for the party, not against it.

The infighting of a group who finds being moderate will aid in victory, and those who prefer the basic conservative stance, will create more divide. Prophets on social issues and defending personal opinions as a party platform are not winning any converts to the party.

According to a report in Rollcall, dated January 12, 2012, Alex Mooney, chairman of the Maryland Republican Party, stated:

“I have decided not to seek the Republican nomination in the 6th Congressional District and instead support Congressman (Roscoe) Bartlett,” Mooney said in a campaign email. “However, I am keeping my options open for a future run for office.”

As stated by Mr. Mooney on November 13, 2012, when talking to Richard Cross, of Cross Purposes, "he doesn't think" he is going to run again for the 6th District Congress seat."

Doesn't think? What kind of sheep does he think he is leading to pasture?

Not only is this disturbing – that we may have an absent chairman of the state Republican Party in 2014, or that we may be scurrying for a replacement – there are some actions made under his watch that were just plain unethical and disturbing.

The Democrats caught him with his own personal campaign wide open, while working for Congressman Bartlett. Although played off as a "clerical error," the activity in his reporting shows a different side. Once the final reporting is revealed, the wolves will most likely devour him.

With Democrats and politicos watching, there were typical slampaigning tactics accomplished, which were familiar from his state Senate race against now Sen. Ron Young.

This year there were people holding their nose to vote, as with many campaigns.

Literature was sent targeting Democratic Party voters, bearing the name of the Maryland Republican Party on the authority line. The graphic pictures left a bad impression, not on 6th District candidate John Delaney, but on the Maryland GOP.

Embarrassing is the only word that could be used for a party to act in such a manner.

While this was going on, paid fundraising consultants were making big bucks off of the GOP, although the current report shows there was little money raised outside of local central committees and one candidate to the state fund.

From here on out, we need to work on message, delivery and developing trust in a party that does stand a chance in Maryland.

This is where we must ask for a pledge, a promise, something in writing, that Mr. Mooney will not run for office and will serve the party office to which he was elected – or else that he immediately resign and allow us to move forward. We are in this together. It is not a one-man show.

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